I have openings for students to participate this summer in ecological research (and get paid for it). Students at any level, freshman through seniors, are encouraged to apply.

To apply, email me (Matt Ayres) a simple resumé that includes any relevant experience, an unofficial listing of the college courses you have taken and the grades you received, and the names of two references. Review of applicants will begin on 1 May and continue until the positions are filled. Salary will depend on experience. We plan to provide lodging for work that is conducted away from Hanover.

You would be joining a research team that is studying tree-killing forest insects, their symbiotic fungi, their host trees, and the other invertebrates with which they interact (e.g., competitors, predators, parasitoids, and phoretic mites). Some research will involve the Sirex wood wasp, which has recently invaded North America (in upstate New York), and which might have devastating effects on our forests (as it has on three other continents), or which might become a relatively benign addition to the indigenous community (as on its native continent). Our research hopes to determine which of these scenarios is more likely. In addition, we will be continuing studies of native pine bark beetles, which have particularly curious population dynamics and are a regular source of massive forest disturbance. You could also be involved in studies of beech bark disease, forest Lepidoptera, and who knows what else.

Additional information about my laboratory and the things we do is available at:
Research Interests          Current and recent grants            Publications                Posters

Please also see the related job advertisement for a seasonal biological technician with the US Department of Agriculture APHIS PPQ laboratory in Syracuse, NY. We are working closely with this laboratory on the Sirex project, and will be working closely with the person who fills this biological technician position. You are encouraged to send your resume to both myself (Matt Ayres) and Kelley Zylstra at APHIS PPQ. Kelley would like your application as soon as possible. We hope to be able to provide housing near the Syracuse laboratory.

For interested students, these positions could provide excellent opportunities to develop an independent research project (e.g., honors thesis) that would continue into the next academic year. Possible topics for independent research that would contribute to our project are diverse, including population biology, community ecology, landscape ecology, animal behavior, physiological ecology, and microbiology. Many previous undergraduates have published papers and/or made presentations at national meetings resulting from their work with us.  See People.